We test our electric blankets thoroughly to make sure they’re the best around. Every blanket on this site offers a luxuriously comfy night’s sleep, so you might be wondering what the difference between them all is! That’s why we’ve come up with a simple star rating system that shows you at a glance which model is right for you.
Before we agree to sell an electric blanket, we test it against six criteria to make sure it’s up to our high standards. You can find a bit more about each one below.
Comfort
How comfortable is the blanket to lie on? To score five stars, a blanket has to be sumptuously soft, with a thick lining that you can really sink into. Comfort is a matter of opinion, but there are a few things we can test for. A good sign of a quality electric blanket is that you can comfortably lie on it without needing to turn it on. With blankets rated three stars and above, you shouldn’t be able to feel any wires or creases inside the blanket, so you can use it all year round without having to turn it on if you like.
Cosiness
There’s nothing quite like sinking into a cosy bed at the end of a hard day. We test our blankets for cosiness when they’re on and when they’re off, and to score five stars it has to be excellent at both. Cosiness isn’t the same as heat – you never want a blanket to be scalding hot. Instead, you want a gentle, relaxing warmth that spreads across your whole bed.
We also test how evenly the blanket warms up. To score a good rating of three stars or more, a blanket has to spread warmth evenly across its whole surface area with no hot or cold patches.
Fit
If you’re a light sleeper, creased bedding can be a nightmare. Avoid this problem by picking a blanket that scores highly in the fit category! A five-star rating guarantees you a blanket that we know is easy to fit, and which stays firmly in place once fitted. It won’t crease or ride up through the night, so you won’t have to worry about being disturbed as you sleep.
Generally, fully-fitted electric blankets score more highly than other models here. This is because they use an elastic skirt to hug the mattress, so they offer a more secure fit. If you’re particular about that sort of thing, a fully-fitted model should be essential.
Heat-Up Time
After you switch your blanket on, how long does it take to get warm? Generally, modern blankets won’t take longer than 15 minutes to reach their target temperature. However, to earn that coveted five-star rating, a blanket will have to warm up inside five minutes.
Energy Efficiency
It’s important to be eco-friendly in this day and age, which is why we test each blanket for energy efficiency. A five-star rating means the blanket uses barely any electricity to keep you cosy, so you can run them for around 1p per night.
Heated throws and overblankets are naturally less energy efficient than underblankets. This is because more of the heat is lost in the room. When you’re using an underblanket, the warmth is trapped under your duvet, so it doesn’t have to work as hard to reach its target temperature. Bear this in mind if you want a blanket that’s the cheapest to run!
Value for Money
Everyone wants to get the most for their money, don’t they? This category is the simplest, but for many, it’s the most important. We have some great entry-level blankets on sale for under £25, luxurious smart electric blankets with Wi-Fi connections, and everything in between, so there’s a great-value option available for every budget.
